I received a note from my sweet niece a while ago. There were flowers and butterflies colorfully drawn in crayons and there at the top she had scribble a thank you. I wouldn’t sell it to you if you asked. It reminded me of the gift I gave my mom in elementary school: a tin can to which I affixed cut and rolled pages from magazines. Each student in my class made one of these gems and placed a thick piece of yarn along the rim. It was simply ugly.

I don’t know what teacher thought this was a nice gift for our moms but my mom still has this silly thing, this piece of art that I made, tucked away in her house. It is still ugly to me but when I brought that silly thing home I was very proud to offer it to my mother and she praised my skill. I had forgotten that last part but such things mothers do not forget.

I am sure the gifts I proudly offered God are merely the silly things of a child—but He receives them with joy. He is satisfied with my giving from my poverty, in the midst of my own need and longing. In fact, as with the rolled up pieces of paper I glued to the outside of a tin can and gave to my mom—they are precious in His sight. And if she still has that ugly can (she does) then God still treasures what little I brought and still bring. Great are the small things. Great are the silly things.

Zech. 4:10, Psa. 56:8, Mark 12:44

Copyright©2008 Hudson Russell Davis